Thriftlady's wartime experiment

PipneyJane

JackieO wrote: »

At one time, because Stockings had to last, there was a shop in Lewis Grove ,Lewisham where a lady sat in the window, and did repairs on stockings on a machine .It was 8 ladders for two shillings, and Mum would wait until she had the required 8 ladders in various stockings before she would take them for repair.
When the first Bendix Launderette arrived in Lee High Road there was a queue stretching for about twenty yards with women wanting to try this new-fangled machine .We queued for around three hours to have a go, but my Mum wasn't impressed .She said it didn't seem to get the clothes as clean as her boiler at home so she never went back again.

Jackie, thanks for the memories. Last time I looked, that Laundrette is still in Lee High Road. (Although it's been a while. I moved out of Lee in 1996 after living there for 5 years. We lived at the top of Burnt Ash Hill.)

My main reason for posting, is that I'd like to thank everyone who has contributed to this thread, particularly those of you who shared your memories of way-back-when.

I've been contemplating whether we could do it all again: living on rations, growing our own food, the clothing ration, etc.

My mum served in the WAAAF during the War, in Melbourne Australia. I remember seeing her ration book when I was a child. (No idea where it is now.) I have no recollection of her talking about food rationing - Australia probably got off fairly lightly in that respect - however, I do remember her talking about the clothing rations. Mum was trained as a dressmaker, so rarely bought clothing. Apparently woollen blankets weren't rationed in Oz; mum turned one into a dressing gown and was the envy of her friends. (Melbourne is cold in winter.) She'd also turn parachute silk into underwear and blouses, whenever she could get her hands on a damaged parachute. The panels that couldn't be mended/turned into a new parachute were passed out among the WAAAF. Even the tiniest pieces would be made into something.

Also, every pay packet in the RAAF contained razor blades and (I think) a condom, so the girls would trade them with their male colleagues for extra clothing rations.

Who would be willing to pretend it's September 1939 again? War has just been declared and rationing is imminent.

broodylass_2

Don't know if this has been mentioned before as this thread is so long but a good website with old leaflets scanned in and recipes http://www.recipespastandpresent.org.uk/wartime/

PipneyJane

daisyroots wrote: »

sproggi thank you so much for the wedding photo. I haven't worked out how to post a pic of Lofty yet.

For some reason, my parents rarely dated their letters, so I have to rely on internal evidence, in this case, the short English strawberry season. Lofty cannot manage much romance while writing from the office, so he writes instead abut his second favourite subject - food! Does anyone know what a "luncheon club" was ? I remember the ABC as a kind of second rate Lyons Tea Shop.

Billie my sweet,

I am writing this in the office, so forgive me if I am rather restrained - it's a queer feeling, writing to you from here, and although there is nobody looking over my shoulder, I feel embarrassed. Soppy, isn't it? There is no news, really. The raids are much less and the job goes along.

I have found a luncheon club in Finsbury Square, where I can get as good grub as the A.B.C. for a lot cheaper and in a better atmosphere. Yesterday we had strawberries and sugar. There is a hell of a lot of chat going on, and I can't get into the spirit of writing to you. They are moving us into another room on Monday and there is a great surge of indignation.

So, my dear love, this is all. Be a good girl, and be kind to (daisy) and dream of me
Lofty

Something that has really touched me about these letters, is the simple fact that my father loved me. I was 2 years and 4 months when he died, so don't really remember him, but after I was born, he mentions me in almost every letter, with pride and joy, and knowing how loved I was has permanently raised my spirits.

Daisy, I know I'm 5 years late but I couldn't let this go without saying that your dad sounds like a wonderful, loving man who loved you all very much. I'm sorry you didn't get to know him when he was alive.

Thank you for sharing the letters. They're making me tear up.

tryingtobethrifty

PipneyJane wrote: »

Daisy, I know I'm 5 years late but I couldn't let this go without saying that your dad sounds like a wonderful, loving man who loved you all very much. I'm sorry you didn't get to know him when he was alive.

Thank you for sharing the letters. They're making me tear up.

Also from me. I love how they spoke/wrote, and really it wasn't that long ago.

As you all know I am a scaredy cat :eek: and don't like war/end of world/bad things talk but have managed to read two of Nella Last's books without frightening myself too much as they're based on her experiences rather than all the scarey/bad things that happened. I was thinking of trying out some of the recipes so will read through this thread properly tonight - it's going to be a late night !

Wonder what DH will think of the new menu on offer? I'm going to do it and not tell him, see if he notices:rotfl:.

mardatha

Try these-
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eating-For-Victory-Official-Reproductns/dp/184317264X
http://www.amazon.co.uk/WELL-EAT-AGAIN-Marguerite-Patten/dp/0600325245/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1349373766&sr=1-1

PJ1

I know this thread is old and has been very well read by the majority of site users but in light of the continued straightened times I thought it would be relevant to bump it for newbies. I've found it to be very helpful in the past and hope others will think so too.
PJ

mardatha

Yes def, I enjoyed this thread very much!

[Deleted User]

Thanks for bumping this thread PJ! so much useful information here, well worth reading through the entire thing, super recipes too!

Lilyplonk

I'd forgotten about this thread as well - good to see it resurface :T.

jackel

hi - thanks for the bump- going back to page 1. see you later. Thanks again jac.xx